William and Kate to pay tribute to victims

William and Kate to pay tribute to victims

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are to visit Leicester where they will pay tribute to those killed in the helicopter crash at the Premier League club.

William and Kate knew one of the five victims, Foxes’ Thai owner and chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabh, and they wanted to go to the city to recognise the warmth and compassion shown by its people, Kensington Palace said.

The couple will next Wednesday visit the tribute site near the stadium, before meeting players and members of the football club’s management team.

Image:The couple want to recognise the warmth and compassion of the city

Image:The Duke Of Cambridge attends a football for peace graduation ceremony in east London

They will also meet volunteers and club supporters who helped to relocate the thousands of tributes left outside the front of the King Power Stadium to a dedicated site.

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Video:About 10,000 fans marched from the city centre to the stadium before Leicester City’s first home game since their chairman died.

Afterwards, William, who is president of the Football Association, and Kate will visit the stadium itself to meet representatives from local charities supported by Mr Srivaddhanaprabha who died along with four others when the aircraft came down after a match on 27 October.

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Video:Peter Schmeichel on son Kaspar’s bravery

The duke and duchess will also visit the University of Leicester to hear about the educational programmes the club has helped support, which included a £1m donation by Mr Srivaddhanaprabha that was used to fund medical research and training.

William and Kate will also be in the university’s Centenary Square to meet the people of Leicester.

The duke paid tribute to Mr Srivaddhanaprabha following the crash, saying he was “a businessman of strong values who was dedicated to his family and who supported a number of important charitable causes”.

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Video:Leicester City players walk with fans

William added: “He made such a big contribution to football, not least through Leicester City’s magical 2016 season that captured the imagination of the world.

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“He will be missed by all fans of the sport and everyone lucky enough to have known him.”

Two members of Mr Srivaddhanaprabha’s staff, Kaveporn Punpare and Nusara Suknamai also died, along with pilot Eric Swaffer and his partner Izabela Roza Lechowicz, when the Thai businessman’s helicopter crashed in a car park outside the ground.